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King City
November 24, 2025

Templeton Wine Festival returns this weekend

The fifth annual Templeton Wine Festival, hosted by the Templeton Chamber of Commerce, is set to return Saturday, May 6.

Hartnell College awarded $9.5M grant to support students in agricultural careers

Hartnell College
SALINAS — Hartnell College has been awarded a $9.5 million grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s inaugural NEXTGEN program.  The official announcement was made during a presentation by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in Washington, D.C., on June 20. ā€œThis...

Salinas schools to close as Taylor Farms fire, evacuation order continues

SALINAS — A fire in a Salinas food processing plant that has prompted authorities to evacuate surrounding neighborhoods has now closed four nearby elementary schools as sunrise approaches Thursday. City officials announced the closure shortly after 5:30 a.m. Thursday for Lincoln Elementary, Monterey Park Elementary, Sherwood...

A welcome tradition

The Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival will return to the Monterey County Fair and Event Center for two full days of cooking demonstrations, activities, exhibits and entertainment.

King City High School Agriculture Department earns state award

KING CITY — King City High School Agriculture Department has been honored with the prestigious California Agricultural Teachers’ Association (CATA) Outstanding 4-6 Person Department Award, a recognition aimed at promoting exemplary middle and secondary programs in agricultural education. The award celebrates the department’s commitment to...

Monterey County’s Covid-19 infection rates highest in agriculture

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County Health Department reports that 475 agriculture workers, or 36.79 percent of the county’s total confirmed cases, have been infected with Covid-19 as of June 22. A large gap separates that figure and the 261 ā€œunknown or under investigationā€ category, and...

Calls grow to restrict harmful pesticide exposure in Monterey County

Omar Dieguez
SALINAS VALLEY — Several dozen community members gathered for a news conference at the County Government Center in Salinas last Tuesday to release a new study that found that pregnant women in Monterey County are more likely to be exposed to far higher levels...

Monterey County crops decline in value after pandemic and fires

MONTEREY COUNTY — Crop values fell in 2020 by a total of $499 million from 2019, with 2020’s total at $3.9 billion, according to the Monterey County Crop Report issued by Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales on July 20. The 11.3% decrease in production...

Beltran named 2025 Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation Scholarship winner

KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation has announced Valeria Beltran, a junior at Gonzales High School, as the recipient of the 2025 Heritage Foundation Scholarship. As this year’s winner, Beltran will raise the official Heritage Animal, a hog she has named ā€œZero,ā€ and...

Salinas Valley Fair unveils renovated Expo Building

Salinas Valley Fair Expo Building Holaday
KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fair has announced the completion of the extensive renovation of the Expo Building, marking a new chapter in its storied history. The 12,000-square-foot, multipurpose facility underwent upgrades in 2022 and 2023, transforming it into a venue for a wide array...